Longtime School Superintendent Fired

The Cambridge School Committee unexpectedly fired Superintendent of Schools Bobbie J. D’Alessandro last night, saying she failed to define a clear vision for the school system or to close the racial and socio-economic achievement gaps that have plagued the system for decades.

“I believe we need new leadership,” said committee member Nancy Walser, after the committee emerged from a private session and voted 6-1 for D’Alessandro’s dismissal.

The decision came during a meeting intended to evaluate the superintendent’s performance during her five-year tenure and to determine whether to renew her contract.

D’Alessandro opened the meeting with a presentation of her accomplishments, describing how she met specific goals established for her by the committee.

While casting her achievements in positive terms, she acknowledged tensions and promised improvement.

“Like a family, when times are bad we argue,” D’Alessandro said. “I know I am not perfect—far from it—but I am passionate.”

While the committee members showed appreciation for her dedication, in a series of dramatic statements on her failures of leadership they said that it was not enough.

“At times we would shake our heads and wonder what’s up here,” said Mayor Michael A. Sullivan, who sits on the committee. “There’s been an inability to give a clear concise vision for our system.”

Specifically, committee members said D’Alessandro had failed to act quickly enough in executing committee decisions.

“We have a long way to go and the progress has been too slow,” Walser said. “There is growing frustration concerning the quality of our schools and the progress of our kids. We need someone who is consistent and relentlessly focused on results and on teaching and learning.”

Committee members also attacked D’Alessandro for making little progress to address inequities in the system.

“The achievement gap really needs to be a focus of where we’re going,” said committee member Richard Harding Jr. “I have not seen enough progress in that area over the past five years.”

Kathy A. Reddick, president of the Cambridge branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, said she supported the committee’s decision on equity grounds.

“I’m excited,” she said. “All of our children can be brought up to the same level.”

Despite the strong and determined sentiment among committee members, the crowd of nearly 100 parents, teachers, and administrators—exceptional given the usual sparse attendance at superintendent evaluation meetings—reacted with surprise to the firing.

“I’m aghast,” said Cambridge Teacher Association President Paul Toner. “I don’t know where this leaves the system.”

The meeting was, however, expected to be tense because of recent tumult concerning D’Alessandro’s controversial merger plans for the district’s 15 elementary schools to combat declining enrollment and a $3.6 million budget deficit.

D’Alessandro, who has proposed three plans for school consolidation since last spring, has come under attack from parents and committee members alike as recently as this week for insufficiently consulting the community and reacting too slowly.

“I have been waiting to see a proposal that seriously takes on the request for a consolidation proposal,” said committee member Alan C. Price, who recently proposed and withdrew his own merger plan. “The superintendent has assured me that one would be coming soon and I still haven’t seen it.”

Alfred B. Fantini, the only committee member to vote against the measure, said D’Alessandro alone should not be blamed for the district’s problems.

“The school committee can’t separate itself from where we are today,” he said.

Audience members responded to Fantini’s statement with applause.

“The school committee does the dumbest things on the face of the earth and then they need a scapegoat,” said parent Jackie Carroll.

D’Alessandro and her staff departed immediately following the meeting, leaving a stunned audience contemplating a school system now looking for a new leader while still plotting solutions for its existing problems.

“I think this has enormous implications for our school system,” said teacher Debbie Downs. “I’m concerned that very talented people are going to leave.”

—Staff writer Claire A. Pasternack can be reached at cpastern@fas.harvard.edu.